CRESTVIEW — After another year of voluntarily sowing gardening and landscape advice for area residents, Okaloosa County Master Gardeners took time Wednesday afternoon to be recognized for their efforts.

Choosing some of the award recipients was difficult because all of the county's 95 Master Gardeners are active in the program, Okaloosa County Extension director Larry Williams said.

"It's a challenge because if it was just a few people and they didn't do anything, it'd be easy, but it's a big group that does so much," Williams said.

Volunteer Master Gardeners serve under the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Cooperative Extension Service at its Airport Road office.

Volunteers’ amount of work equates to three full-time employees, Extension Commercial Horticulture agent Sheila Dunning said. Their services include answering home horticultural questions in person and on the telephone, and working with youth through the county 4-H program.

The gardeners also operate the County Extension testing laboratory; operate a speakers bureau for organizations and gardening clubs; and run Fort Walton Beach’s Master Gardener nursery.

"You're not on your own when it comes to home horticulture," Master Gardener Carol Rose said. "If you move here from anywhere else, you'll know gardening in sand is just difficult. We're here to help."

"I'm just astounded by the amount of valuable volunteer work this organization does," County Commissioner Dave Parisot said during the awards luncheon.

Potential Master Gardeners must apply and interview for admission to the program's 50-hour training classes; pass a comprehensive examination; and work under a mentor before becoming certified.

This year, 31 newly graduated Master Gardeners, the largest class Williams ever instructed, received their diplomas at the awards luncheon. They will be certified following mentor internships.

Then they can operate the phones and address often-memorable gardening questions such as a query Shari Farrell received about 15 years ago.

"This woman called and said, 'Was I right in turning off the water to my neighbors' house while they were on vacation, because it was overflowing on my property and I was getting fungus on my lawn?'" Farrell said.

Farrell said she was about to assure the caller it was probably a good idea until the woman added that shutting off the water also deprived the inside sprinkler system and the house burned down.

Pink Flamingo Award— given to a Master Gardener who makes a "grievous or hilarious error of judgment”: Stacey Taylor. She guided a field trip into Alabama that was intending to visit a farm in Walton County.

Home Gardening Advice:

Master Gardener volunteers provide free advice for home gardeners, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, at the University of Florida/IFAS County Extension office, 3098 Airport Road. The hotline, 689-5850, is open during the same hours.